Barney Frank Loans Campaign $200K as He Fights Tea Party Challenge

/ AP

Sitting in the crosshairs of the Tea Party Express and other conservative operations, longtime Democratic Rep. Barney Frank is ratcheting up his efforts to defend his Massachusetts seat.

The Democrat gave his re-election campaign $200,000 this week, Politico reports, to fend off Republican challenger Sean Bielat. Financial disclosure files reportedly showed Frank's assets to be worth between $560,000 and $1.5 million, though the representative is not required to disclose the worth of his primary residence.

Bielat, a 35-year-old Marine with an Ivy League pedigree, is giving Frank a run for his money. The Republican released an internal poll last month showing Frank ahead by 10 points, 48 to 38. While that still gives Frank a comfortable lead -- CBS News has labeled the race as probable Democrat -- he cannot take his seat for granted. Even though Massachusetts' fourth district easily sided with Barack Obama in 2008, it also narrowly favored Republican Scott Brown in the 2010 Senate special election.

Bielat has railed against Frank's role as chair of the House Financial Services Committee, and his attacked are buttressed by those from the Tea Party Express, the California-based group that helped Christine O'Donnell win the Republican Senate primary in Connecticut and helped conservative Joe Miller topple sitting Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski in the Alaska primary.

The Tea Party Express sent an "urgent" e-mail to their supporters this week soliciting donations to air its "defeat Barney Frank" television ads, now in production.

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"You can help us Defeat Barney Frank - one of the worst liberals in Congress - and make history," the e-mail read.

The conservative Nevada political action committee Western Representation PAC is also investing in a campaign against Frank, with a pledge to spend $200,000 in ads against Frank and his fellow Massachusetts Democratic Rep. James McGovern, the Attleboro Sun Chroniclereports.

Meanwhile, the anti-abortion rights group the Susan B. Anthony List is also campaigning against the 15-term Democrat. As part of a $1 million nationwide mail campaign, the group sent Frank's constituents pamphlets that said he "votes 'NO' on Massachusetts values."

Frank used the pamphlets to solicit money from his supporters in a e-mail with the subject line "Pro-choice or no choice?" The e-mail blasts Bielat for being against abortion rights. It also mentions his opponent's Tea Party support.

"I take these developments extremely seriously, not only because of the threat to my candidacy, but because of the dangers they pose to the values we share," the e-mail reads. "You can help me prevent the right-wing from turning back the clock on reproductive rights."

CBSNews.com Special Report: Campaign 2010

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Stephanie Condon is a political reporter for CBSNews.com. You can read more of her posts here. Follow Hotsheet on Facebook and Twitter.

[1musicwayne]

How informed is our electorate? We might be stuck again with someone who rushed through unread bills, approved 9000 earmarks, blocked preemptive mortgage reform, put grandkids into hopeless debt, and allowed slick congressional side deals for health care passage. $200 million tax dollars in exchange for a personal vacation? Prostitution operation in his house? He's part of the "drunken abuse of power" crowd.

[toms184]

I expect that Sean Bielat, www.byebyebarney.com, will make an excellent representative of the people here in the 4th District. He is not a neocon, but rest assure, if he becomes one, we will replace him just as easily as we are going to replace Barney.

[Independent_Oregonian]

Ever wonder where Progressive Democrates want us to progress to. I have and I've never heard one of them tell us what their plan is for our country. All I know is Congressman Frank has done an outstanding job in voting for legislation without reading what's in it, telling us how he's not responsible for the outcome of the votes he casts, and in doing everything he can to make us dependent on the government.
If you want high unemployment to continue then vote for Frank and those who carry his beliefs. I'm sure his constituents approve of his leadership by example or they wouldn'yt be returning him to Congress year after year. Follow his money and wait for your government job because that's the only job he'll create for you.

[wfw3536]

It is time to get rid of Franks as he is one of the main players in our financial melt down. He was a friend of both Fannie and Freddie and protected them when republicans complained that they were out of control with their loans. He also helped keep them out of the new banking bill so they would be protected. This guy is a bum who has lived off of the public long enough. Time for Franks to go.

[retm-w]

That's OK most of us know who you are referring to. A rich democrat, that's getting payola from Fannie and Freddie.

[BFoley777]

To Stuwerb -

I mean really... "Barney Rocks", or your other comment "Barney needs to be re-elected", come on!! These are ridiculous statements that liberals don't even believe anymore.

Go pick a campaign you can win.

Sean Bielat for Congress!!

[Paddy0930]

This is a done deal. Barney is dead. Following in the footsteps of his buddy Teddy, the "Mass" Murderer....

[Paddy0930]

15 Terms????? That is insane. By the way, does anyone else find it sickly humorous that Franks finds his "seat in danger?" Ha ha....

[mah1121]

Lol...I don't care if you're left or right, dem or republican, gay or straight. Sometimes we all just have to laugh at ourselves and you gotta admit that's funny.

[strikerF2]

Hopefully Barney will be turned out to pasture with the rest of the,slobbering rich politicans who made millions holding a government job.

[retm-w]

And the dems complain about the rich. Wonder how much he got from Fannie and Freddie for protecting them and giving them unlimted credit on the taxpayers dime.

[TimB.MCSE]

Like all professional politicians Barney is a career criminal.